


Can't See the Forest for the Trees

by mithrel



Category: Doctor Who (2005), Sarah Jane Adventures
Genre: Blanket Permission, Episode Related, F/M, Podfic Welcome
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-10-11
Updated: 2011-10-11
Packaged: 2017-10-24 12:57:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 828
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/263716
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mithrel/pseuds/mithrel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After <i>School Reunion,</i> Sarah Jane finally realises something.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Can't See the Forest for the Trees

“Luke, I’m home!”

Her son looks up from the TV. “Hi, Mum!” Then he notices her expression. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” But he stares at her until she finally confesses. “I met the Doctor again. Only he was different. He’d regenerated.”

“Oh.” That single syllable is full of meaning, understanding and sympathy. She’d told him about the Doctor, of course, long ago. “Are you going with him?”

His tone is matter-of-fact, and she’s startled. “What? No! He offered, but I couldn’t leave you.” She pauses. “Besides, he’s got someone new.”

“Oh.” Again the sympathy fills his voice, and she abruptly doesn’t want to hear it. “You’ve never had anyone, have you?”

“I’ve got you.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

No, it wasn’t, she knows that. But she hasn’t really had anyone since the Doctor. Oh, there’s Harry, of course, now a Captain, who stayed in touch over the years, and if she wanted to she knows he’d be willing to be more than a friend, but she’s been tied up with the Doctor; she hasn’t moved on. She’s even tried to capture some of her life with him by tracking down aliens on Earth. But now they’ve finally said goodbye, and maybe she can let him go.

%%%

Harry’s filling out a medical report when his phone rings. “Sullivan.”

“Harry, are you busy?”

He’s surprised to hear from Sarah Jane, but not displeased. “No, of course not, old girl, what’s happened?”

She gives an impatient sigh. “Harry, what have I told you about calling me ‘old girl’?”

“Sorry,” he says, somewhat sheepishly. Even after all these years and her many corrections, she’s never broken him of the habit. “Anyway, how are you?”

“Fine.” But there’s something in her voice, and after a moment she continues. “I met the Doctor.”

His heart sinks. He’s been standing in that man’s shadow for decades, and now that he’s come back… “So you’re off again, then?” he asks, trying to keep the pain out of his voice.

“No. I—look can you come over tonight? I could really use a friend.”

“Of course.” He could never refuse her anything, even if friendship is all she wants.

%%%

He comes over to her flat after dinner. While Luke is doing his homework, they sit in the den. She told him about meeting the Doctor at the Academy, about finding out who he was, and meeting his new Companion. She also told him about the Krillitaines, and how they defeated them.

“Sounds like he hasn’t changed much.”

She smiles sadly. “No, he hasn’t.”

“So why didn’t you go with him?”

“Well, he suggested it, but I’d only be in the way.” She gave a small sigh, and then looked at him. “Besides, it’s time I moved on. It’s been thirty years, after all.”

He makes a noncommittal noise.

“Thanks, Harry.”

He looks at her, puzzled. “For what?”

“For putting up with me, all these years. For being there when I needed to talk.”

“Don’t mention it, old girl.” He realises his slip too late, but she doesn’t correct him.

“I should, though.” There’s that same odd note in her voice that he can’t quite place. “I’ve been mooning over the Doctor all this time, when I should have been making a life for myself here.”

He’s not quite sure how to respond to that, so says nothing.

“Why’d you stick around, anyway?”

He flushes. He doesn’t believe for one minute that she doesn’t know; she’s a journalist after all, and trained to observe. But actually _saying_ it… “Well, someone has to keep you out of trouble!”

She laughs, then leans forward and kisses him.

He almost pulls back in shock; after all he’d never expected this, but he’s only human, and his hand comes up to the back of her neck as he kisses her back, part of his mind wondering what on Earth is going on, and part of him convinced this isn’t happening.

When they break apart, he stares at her. “What…”

“I’ve been so focused on the past I haven’t seen what’s right in front of me.”

It takes a moment for that to sink in. When it does, all he can manage is “Oh.”

%%%

He comes around fairly often after that. Luke seems amused by the whole thing, for which he’s grateful. The last thing he needs is a resentful teenager.

When the Earth is relocated, he’s needed at UNIT, but calls her to see if she’s found anything. “I’m going to try to use Mr. Smith to get in touch with the Doctor. He’s the only one who can help.”

“Good idea. And,” he pauses, swallows, “if he needs your help…”

“I’ll go, of course.” There’s a note of warning in her voice, since she knows how jealous he gets, even now.

“Of course!” he says quickly. “I wouldn’t try and stop you! Only…” he trails off.

“Only what?”

“Come back to me?”

He can hear the smile in her voice. “Always.”


End file.
